Dear Chris,
I queried the list about this film a couple of years ago. The
answer I received is below.
Just to give you some background: Another list member had
written that an edited version of this film (without a scene that
might be offensive to the Muslim community) was available under
the title "Saints and Spirits." But according to a professor who
was involved in making the movie, they are two different works.
I hope this is helpful.
Darla Moore
Rollins College

There is an old history to this film which still comes up from
time to
time, and some of what is written below is not accurate. So, I
forwarded
this email to Prof. Elizabeth Fernea http://www.frif.com/subjects/fernea.html of the University of
Texas at the
time. Here is what she wrote to me "to set the record
straight":

"SOME WOMEN OF MARRAKESH, a film in Granada Television's
Disappearing World
series, came out in 1976 and won prizes and acclaim for its
producer-director, Melissa Llewelyn-Davies. It boosted the first
all-woman
crew in the history of British TV. I served as ethnographic
consultant.
Then Odyssey bought the footage in 1981 to recut it for PBS.
(For that
version, I was co-producer with Melanie Wallace). But Ms.
Llewelyn-Davies,
who had final say since she was the original producer-director
of the
footage, did not like the PBS version, which aired in 1982. Thus
she
refused to let it be released for any other TV or theatrical
showings.

"Years later, the University of Texas obtained permission to
distribute it
FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The VHS may still be purchased
from the
Department of Anthropology, U. of Texas, Austin, TX. 78712,
attention: Pam
Becker. Cost is US $200 and all moneys go into student
fellowships in
anthropology and film.

"SAINTS AND SPIRITS is a different film altogether, and its
history is also
different. This 28-minute film was produced in 1978 with a small
grant from
the NEH, and utilized (with Granada management permission)
out-takes from
SOME WOMEN OF MARRAKESH, unused footage on the religious
experiences of
Moroccan women. I raised the money and was associate producer.
Melissa
Llewelyn-Davies retained the rights, as original
director-producer of the
footage, to be credited as such on SAINTS AND SPIRITS. Since
1978, this
short film has been distributed by First Run/Icarus Films and
has been
shown in London, Stockholm and at the National Gallery,
Washington, DC., as
well as being a selection of the Margaret Mead Film Ethnographic
Film
Festival in New York. Curiously, Granada Television also lists
it as one of
its films!

"As for offending the Muslim community: the Moroccan Embassy did
indeed
lodge a formal complaint, first with Granada and then to PBS,
about the
bath scene, but that did not affect the film's airing. It is
still one of
the most popular films available at the Musee de l'Homme and the
Pompidou
Museum in Paris. Further, a review in one of Morocco's Arabic
newspapers
cited "its veracity in reporting honestly the problems of
Moroccan women"
and asked the rhetorical question, "Why can't Moroccan film
makers produce
such work? Why do we wait for foreigners to do it?" The review
was written
by Leila Abouzeid, a well-respected Moroccan novelist.

"So, a long and tangled history, but one that continues." --
Elizabeth Fernea

I hope this is helpfulm.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Miller

>>> On 8/30/2007 at 1:47 PM, in message
<8C81AA7D3B12F4408C6B3359AEB001CC034DE3DE@LIB-EMarks.library.lib.uconn.edu>,
"Chris McNevins" <Chris.McNevins@uconn.edu> wrote:
Does anyone know if this video is still available??

I queried the list about this film a couple of years ago. =
The answer I received is below.

Just to give you some background: Another list member had =
written that an edited version of this film (without a scene that=
might be offensive to the Muslim community) was available under the =
title "Saints and Spirits." But according to a professor who was =
involved in making the movie, they are two different works.

"SOME WOMEN OF MARRAKESH, a film in Granada Television's Disappearing =
World series, came out in 1976 and won prizes and acclaim for its =
producer-director, Melissa Llewelyn-Davies. It boosted the first =
all-woman crew in the history of British TV. I served as ethnographic =
consultant. Then Odyssey bought the footage in 1981 to recut it for =
PBS. (For that version, I was co-producer with Melanie Wallace). But =
Ms. Llewelyn-Davies, who had final say since she was the original =
producer-director of the footage, did not like the PBS version, which =
aired in 1982. Thus she refused to let it be released for any other TV =
or theatrical showings.

"Years later, the University of Texas obtained permission to distribute =
it FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. The VHS may still be purchased from =
the Department of Anthropology, U. of Texas, Austin, TX. 78712, =
attention: Pam Becker. Cost is US $200 and all moneys go into student =
fellowships in anthropology and film.

"SAINTS AND SPIRITS is a different film altogether, and its history is =
also different. This 28-minute film was produced in 1978 with a small =
grant from the NEH, and utilized (with Granada management permission) =
out-takes from SOME WOMEN OF MARRAKESH, unused footage on the =
religious experiences of Moroccan women. I raised the money and was =
associate producer. Melissa Llewelyn-Davies retained the rights, as =
original director-producer of the footage, to be credited as such on =
SAINTS AND SPIRITS. Since 1978, this short film has been distributed =
by First Run/Icarus Films and has been shown in London, Stockholm and =
at the National Gallery, Washington, DC., as well as being a selection =
of the Margaret Mead Film Ethnographic Film Festival in New York. =
Curiously, Granada Television also lists it as one of its films!

"As for offending the Muslim community: the Moroccan Embassy did indeed =
lodge a formal complaint, first with Granada and then to PBS, about =
the bath scene, but that did not affect the film's airing. It is still =
one of the most popular films available at the Musee de l'Homme and =
the Pompidou Museum in Paris. Further, a review in one of Morocco's =
Arabic newspapers cited "its veracity in reporting honestly the =
problems of Moroccan women" and asked the rhetorical question, "Why =
can't Moroccan film makers produce such work? Why do we wait for =
foreigners to do it?" The review was written by Leila Abouzeid, a =
well-respected Moroccan novelist.

"So, a long and tangled history, but one that continues." -- Elizabeth =
Fernea

--=__PartA0873C72.0__=--
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.